To continue my thoughts about mothers being the ultimate influencers, I want to direct attention towards the moms in the Harry Potter series. JK Rowling made mothers a central theme, and the examples she uses are so life like.

JK Rowling has said that a driving force in writing the Harry Potter series was trying to cope with her mother’s death. The mothers move the plot along, and Rowling proves mothers can have the strongest influence over someone’s life. Some of the mothers in the overall story are horrible, and others are great heroines.

The Leading Ladies

The most important one is obviously Lily Potter, who sacrificed herself for Harry. In contrast, her sister, Harry’s aunt Petunia Dursley, shows her distain toward Harry, and encourages her husband and son to join in abusing Harry.

Of course, Mrs. Weasley, Harry’s surrogate mother, makes us feel so comfortable; yet, she shows us time and time again, she’s no pushover. That’s most evident when she kills Bellatrix Lestrange–perhaps the dark lord’s most loyal follower–after Bellatrix nearly kills her daughter.

We learned in The Half-Blood Prince that Voldemort’s own mom, Merope, abandoned him after his birth because she had no will to live. When Harry wonders why Merope, who had magic to save herself, didn’t choose to be there for baby, Dumbledore reminds Harry that Merope had been through unspeakable suffering, and “she never had your mother’s courage” (page 262)

Dumbledore himself had complicated issues with his own mother. Then, Snape, had a mother who was abused, but he discovered how powerful love is through Harry’s mom. (I’ll make a point here to say neither Snape nor Voldemort’s mothers really had anyone in their corner, thus showing the necessity of mothers receiving support.)

The Unexpected Heroine

The mother that surprised me the most, though, was Narcissa Malfoy–the mother of Draco Malfoy, Harry’s biggest school enemy.

But really, I shouldn’t have underestimated Mrs. Malfoy. Draco’s parents went to great lengths to get him whatever he wanted; using money and corrupt influence to position their son to popularity and good stuff multiple times. We witness Mrs. Malfoy working behind the scenes; most notably going to Snape to ask him to protect her son in secret so Voldemort wouldn’t know.

Toward Harry, she was cold, cruel, and threatening.
But then, to see if her son is safe at the end of The Deathly Hallows, she must save Harry.

For me, the moment she checks to see if Harry is alive is one of the most touching scenes in the book.

“You”

In the movie, Narcissa boldly approaches the playing-dead Harry. It’s acceptable for the screen, but in the book, Voldemort calls on her, just calling her “you” to check on Harry’s current state.

Then we read, “There was a bang and a small shriek of pain. ‘Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead.’ ” (page 725).

Harry and the reader have no idea who “you” is, (but know “his heart was thumping traitorously,”) until turning the page and are relieved after a few lines.

Shielded

When I read the lines, “Hands, softer than he had been expecting, touched Harry’s face” the first time, I relaxed a little bit. Then when reading, “Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?” I was a little shocked but totally relieved! I was also touched by the line, “…her head bent so low that her long hair shielded his face from the onlookers. “

Shielded.

Harry’s mother had shielded him from the killing curse, and years later, another brave mother shielded him from Voldemort possibly performing it again at that moment.

I find it a little funny when Mrs. Malfoy announces to the crowd that Harry’s dead. It’s because of the perfect irony. I mean goodness gracious!

At the beginning of Harry Potter’s story, Voldemort actually gives Harry’s mom the option of moving aside before he has to kill her to get to Harry. Then he picks another mother–the mother of another boy who could have died at his hands–to check on his sworn enemy? Lord Voldemort is a complete idiot.
The Malfoys are dangerous and untrustworthy, but I was impressed with Narcissa never becoming a Death Eater (unlike her husband and other family members) and saving both Draco and Harry.

There’s the question if she would have saved Harry if it had not been for her wondering of Draco’s fate. Like in the book, I don’t think she would willingly do Voldemort’s bidding by eagerly volunteering–I mean she never received the scary Death Eater’s tattoo.

But whatever the case, her action of lying to the most dangerous dark wizard of all time, is impressive. This girl is good/bad. Super sneaky, smart, but most importantly, she was a true mother–something Voldemort still couldn’t grasp, even though years before, a mother had also brought about his downfall.

Voldemort gets what he deserves for his crimes–especially when it comes to disrespecting mothers!

True Morals

Though Harry Potter is a fantasy series, it reflects strong realities of the sorts of people one can expect to meet in life.

The Harry Potter series is a brilliant example of how some of the most powerful influencers are mothers. I can say amen to how the heroic mothers acted; sometimes well composed, sometimes ballistic, and sometimes acting gentle and making a few quick calls to save their babies–or another mother’s baby.

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